Although the service is password protected for subscribers only, does anyone believe that the Government won’t crack into this service, and that while they may be looking for bad guys, governments, including ours, don’t have a good track record when it comes to playing by the rules. And how about those hackers who will come up with ways not only to get this information, but to use it in ways that can’t be good?

According to Google though, this is just a great new tool so that you can keep track of yourself and do all sorts of fun things like track your own use of the web etc etc blah blah its great whatever. However, even the cNet Tech New Blog is a bit apprehensive about this new Google feature in their post titled “Your Web history, courtesy of Google“:

Google’s announced acquisition of DoubleClick has raised considerable concern among privacy advocates, who argue that combining the search engine giant with a major online advertising firm puts too much information in the hands of one company. The launch of Google’s new Web History product should send those fears into overdrive.

So far all I see is speculation and no real action on how to exploit this new feature. I dunno if the gov’t would really force its way into your online life, especially if you are a good little user, but in this administration anything’s possible. I mean this blog has been scanned by the not so super secret Echelon machines, but no action has been taken on their part. I’m still posting!

As for hackers, you’d have to have someone’s logon info to be able to see the feature. So, that leaves the good old Phishing pages, a la this post of mine, that collect your info and leave your account open to be poked and prodded for all kinds of info, including this new Web History feature.

Here’s what I think, its no more of a problem than the exploits and search logging that already exists. My advice would be to NOT sign up for the feature, or sign up for it then immediately delete the service, and keep an eye out for phishing pages. If you’re smarter than the average bear, this shouldn’t be a problem. Also note, remember the big scare about search engines logging your searches and the information leeks on the server side about searches? There was some old lady that had all her info lost by Yahoo (I’ll have to look for the old story). That threat to your privacy is still there, but there’s not too much you can do about that unless you want to do a bit of work or pay for a proxy service.

If you are really worried about your privacy then you may want to check out the free services offered by TOR or JAP, although both those services are having some problems.

For now, remain calm and don’t use static IP’s or don’t bother doing anything at all cause if someone really REALLY wants your ass there is always a way to get your ass. Sorry, but its a simple net fact. Every time you put something out there on the net, it gets cached by Google or some other net company, and once its on the net its somewhere waiting to be found forever.

But never fear, there are ways to keep a modicum of anonimity on the net. I’ll post an article about how to maintain anonymity on the net soon so you can be all stealthy and kewl.

Last but not least, just don’t do anything stupid, aka illegal or just plain careless, and you should be fine…ish ;)

The US Copyright Office has released their new set of rates for the payment of royalties by Internet Radio, and they ignored all of the facts presented by webcasters (including RP) and gave the record industry exactly what they asked for: royalty rates so high that they will put RP and every other independent webcaster out of business. See Kurt Hanson’s newsletter for 3/2/07 for the details on how the rates work and what they will mean to stations like RP. You can participate in the discussion about this issue in our Listener Forum.For some time, we’ve suffered with a system where we pay a large chunk (10%-12%) of our income to the Big 5 record companies – while FM stations and radio conglomerates like Clear Channel pay nothing. Now they want even more. In our case, an amount equal to 125% of our income.

You can’t beat buzzfeed when it comes to following the best of the best posts all around the net. ESPECIALLY when it puts all that good celebrity b00by pix, slips, etc in one place. This little feed takes a look at celebrity breast that now look all weird.

Oh, The mighty, how they have fallen!!

Wonky Boobs

Lifestyle BuzzPaparazzi photos expose the wonky boobs of celebrities. Not even the best plastic surgeon in Hollywood can save you from the Wonky Boob Phenomenon. If I were Britney Spears’ left boob, I’d probably try to escape too.

A long-awaited study by US scientists has concluded that meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring are safe to eat and drink and should be allowed to enter the food supply without any special labeling.
The finding is a strong signal that the Food and Drug Administration will endorse the use of cloning technology for cattle, goats, and pigs when it publishes a key safety assessment intended to clear the way for formal approval of the products. That assessment is expected this week.

I refuse to know anything about what I am eating. I don’t even want to see the kitchen. Just let me eat in peace.

I’m the first to admit I couldn’t kill a chicken, but Roscoe’s is gooooood. Cloned chickens = twice the chickens. Now all they need to do is clone waffles.

Six of the federal offenses were drug crimes, while others included bank fraud, mail fraud, the acceptance of a kickback, a false statement on a loan application and conspiracy to defraud the government over taxes.Seven of the 16 received no prison or jail time, instead getting probation or a reduction in their military pensions.

The longest sentence was nine years, for aiding cocaine distribution, followed by a six-year term for conspiracy to possess marijuana.

So the people stealing money are kewl but that dude with the mary jane charge gets 6 friggin years?? How the crap does that even pass by without people rioting in the streets?

According to documents obtained for Wired News under federal sunshine laws, the Air Force’s Active Denial System, or ADS, has been certified safe after lengthy tests by military scientists in the lab and in war games.The ADS shoots a beam of millimeters waves, which are longer in wavelength than x-rays but shorter than microwaves — 94 GHz (= 3 mm wavelength) compared to 2.45 GHz (= 12 cm wavelength) in a standard microwave oven.

NOTE: 2.45GHz is also what your cell phone uses, along with like a billion other devices we all use today. The same goes for WiFi as well. Back to you Wired:

The longer waves are thought to limit the effects of the radiation. If used properly, ADS will produce no lasting adverse affects, the military argues.

Apparently you just get a little cooked (litterally) and then you run away cause it hurts so bad you want to shit yourself just to take your mind off the pain. But its non-lethal, so its OK. If used properly…

You realize the brown shirts will be using this on US citizens if we don’t get Bush out of office soon right? Right?? I mean next to being tasered, being microwaved in a crowd is one of those things I NEVER want to experience.

NOTE: All politics aside, I still really want one of these for christmas!!